Local teen one step closer to kidney transplant
By Lee Peck
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MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — “When I was a little girl, people used to come here to this park and throw coins in it and make wishes,” said Erica Watson.
If Erica and her 15-year-old son Devin Smith had one wish, it would be for Devin to get a new kidney. The teen has been living with kidney disease since shortly after birth.
“Without the surgery, Devin probably wouldn’t make it because both of his kidneys are failing,” explained Erica.
They just had their first visit to UAB Hospital to talk about a timeline for Devin’s kidney transplant. Devin says he’s nervous but feels better after visiting with doctors.
“The driving part was stressful. When I got there, he started asking me questions and I started feeling happy about the transplant,” said Devin.
They still have to find a donor and have many more visits to UAB, but doctors believe the transplant will happen before the end of the year. Erica is always on standby for the call and continues to work on how to make ends meet.
“So it’s just a big burden with trying to get back and forth with food, gas, everything is up right now,” said Erica.
While they trust it will all work out, Devin looks forward to being healthy enough to play basketball.
“I hope so. Well, I know so,” said Devin.
Despite some setbacks, Devin doesn’t dwell on the issues and is grateful for what he does have.
“It’s not easy. Life is not easy. So you’ve just got to be thankful for what happens,” said Devin.
If you would like to see if you’re a potential match to donate a kidney to Devin or help with the family’s expenses, visit the following websites:
gofundme.com/f/kidneys-for-devin
uabmedicine.org/patient-care/treatments/kidney-transplant
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